Olympics sex shock

[The Prototype]

Olympics sex shock
Source: The Mercury

Full Story:http://www.themercury.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,7864365%255E23218,00.html

[Donny]

Sex-change athletes free to compete
By Jenny McAsey - Fox Sports
November 15, 2003

THE Olympic movement is preparing to open the door to transexual competitors but Australian yachting officials have already faced the sensitive issue.

A former top-level male sailor from Tasmania has been given permission by Yachting Australia to compete as a female. The sailor, known in the yachting scene as a talented ocean racer and windsurfer who competed at the Australian championships, has had a sex change operation.

When she entered to compete at the Australian women's match racing championships held in Tasmania in September, race officials asked for a ruling.

Yachting Australia's competition manager Col Chidgey wouldn't reveal the sailor's identity but said other competitors were not opposed to her sailing against them.

"She herself was open about it and wanted to make sure it was okay," Chidgey said. "She was a very good sailor and she still is."

Chidgey went to the International Olympic Committee as well as the international yachting body for assistance. He also looked at international medical studies, and said they showed the transexual sailor would have no physical advantage over other women.

Without any international sporting guidelines, Chidgey turned to state anti-discrimination legislation and on that basis the sailor was allowed to compete as a woman.

"She had to provide medical evidence of the sex change and evidence of her change of name," he said. "It would have been discriminatory to leave her out."

As it panned out, the sailor couldn't get a full crew and didn't compete in the championships. However, Chidgey said she was still sailing and was likely to enter other competitions.

A senior IOC official said in London yesterday that athletes who had undergone sex change operations would be allowed to compete in the Olympics for the first time under new rules to be announced in a few weeks.

"We will have no discrimination," IOC medical director Patrick Schamasch said. He added that transexual athletes would be eligible once a certain amount of time had passed since their sex-change surgery.

[Northern Pie]

geez when I saw that I thought the IOC had allowed Sex to become a sport in the next olympics...imagine Bruce calling that one, I would however prefer to hear someone who knows altleast just a little bit about the sport call it rather than Bruce..

Cheers

[Newelly]

Maybe he should after all I hear THE KING rules that sport as well. Likes nothing more than to tackle a few and put one thru the sticks or not even phased to score a behind.

[piedys]

[commonwombat]

Not sure that Northern Pie's allusion is a particularly attractive one. You'd think that cleaning up the box after one of his stints would be unpleasant enough.

Don't want to enter Dyso's little comp at this stage but doesn't it throw up some interesting possibilities on the drug testing front. Fancy copping a 2 year ban for excessive levels of spanish fly, a life ban for Viagra, disqualification for jumping the gun....... leave the rest for others imagination.

[I@n S]

ROFL I can't beleave my eyes. hahaha funny

[Northern Pie]

Well I know that I would not be able to represent australia in the event simply because I enjoy Oysters too much and I am sure that they would be considered performance enhansing....Personally I am really looking forward to the Swedish Womens team take on the Dutch womens team in the endurance event....

cheers

[commonwombat]

Imagine selling the intl TV rights for these events!!

[HAL]

I cant imagine it.

[Blanch]

Can I be a judge for that endurance event NP? I'll promise not to leave the sport in a sticky situation!

[piedys]

Yes Tess, but our male-fantasy thread here is much more interesting and thought provoking. He he.

Dyso

[HAL]

I am so glad you find this amusing.